Wednesday, September 20, 2006

A Lesson from the Tortoise and the Hare

I was reading a post today over at Sunshine Scribe. She was sharing her frustration at the lack of hours to her day. She is especially busy with work right now, has a young son, etc. Just a few more hours to each day to exercise, reflect, pursue other goals. She gave a sample of her typical schedule. She was concerned about the lack of balance in her life.

After commenting that reading that schedule made me want to take a nap, I gave her the following unsolicited advice:

All those things you want to do for yourself? Give yourself time. Be patient yet persevering. It may seem like a mountain to climb, all those goals, but slow and steady wins the race.

As I typed it I realized it sounded like advice from Cliches R Us but I meant it and I believe it to be true.

Later today, I was at my counseling appointment talking about the extra special irritability I have been feeling the last couple of days. This discussion segued into one about the changes I have been making to increase my overall health: consistency with my CPAP therapy; changes in my diet; an exercise routine. Was I irritable because I wasn't getting enough out of the CPAP therapy yet? Will I even feel much better on the CPAP before I get the diet and exercise thing under control? Was I only crabby because my husband just returned from a ten day trip?

We talked about perspective, options for changes I can make, and how it is understandable I would be crabby. Keep at it, be patient and give yourself some credit was the gist of it all. Then, as I was walking out the door, she said: "Slow and steady wins the race."

I'd like to say that I took a moment, let that sink in and moved on determined to heed my own advice that God saw fit to boomerang back at me. No, in pure extroverted, motor-mouth fashion, I launched into "Omigosh, I just told somebody that today! That is so crazy! I can't believe that!" I continued this internal monologue after I left the office, a blabber-mouth even in my own mind.

Eventually though, I did pause to really think about it. How funny is it that you feel like you can give advice to someone that you are in need of yourself! Actually, I think that probably happens all the time, but how often do your actual words get served up to you within hours of you having given said advice?

Well, point taken, Lord. I get it. I need to give the CPAP therapy more time. Don't try to get the diet and exercise under control too quickly.

Give myself time. Be patient yet persevering. It may seem like a mountain to climb, all those goals, but slow and steady wins the race.

This must have been the THEME yesterday! At support group yesterday the topic was "What's the Rush?" and we left with a quote by Lily Tomlin:"For fast acting relief, try slowing down."The point was to get us to have some patience with ourselves.

Second theme that came up was the idea of "a noisy brain." You mentioned being a blabber-mouth even in your own brain. Boy can I relate and I would guess many of us can! I actually have a partial post in draft mode on this very topic. Too too weird.